The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of American smoketree, botanically known as Cotinus obovatus ‘Northstar’ and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘Northstar’.
The Inventor discovered ‘Northstar’ as a naturally occurring whole plant mutation of Cotinus obovatus in summer of 1996 in a residential garden in Star Lake, Ottertail County, Minn. The parentage of ‘Northstar’ is unknown as it is presumed to be a seedling of unnamed selections of Cotinus obovatus. 
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished by softwood cuttings in Battle Lake, Minn. in 1997. The characteristics of this cultivar have been determined by cuttings and in vitro propagation to be stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.